ASIO director-general Mike Burgess has disclosed that a former Australian resident living in Iraq directed the firebombing of Melbourne's Adass Israel Synagogue in December 2024. Speaking during his Annual Threat Assessment speech on Wednesday evening, Burgess stated that Iran orchestrated the attack, recruiting the individual through a "complex web of Iraqi-based militia groups."
Iran's Role and the Perpetrator
Burgess explained that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) valued the man's high wealth and criminal connections, protecting him and supporting his illegal enterprises. However, after ASIO publicly named Iran's involvement in the arsons, his Iranian backers lost enthusiasm. "After further pressure from Australian and local law enforcement, they threw him in prison," Burgess said.
He also revealed that an Iran-based Australian citizen orchestrated the firebombing of the Lewis Continental Kitchen in Bondi in October 2024, calling it "the first major attack in the summer of antisemitism." This individual is a senior agent of the IRGC Qods Force, running its networks globally. "We know more about him than he realises, including the name of his superior in Iran and the department he works for. Department eleven-thousand, a covert unit within the IRGC Qods Force, is responsible for coordinating operations in the West," Burgess added.
Ongoing Investigations and Antisemitism
Burgess declined to name the individuals due to ongoing investigations and prosecutions but issued a warning: "I want them to understand this: we know who you are, we know what you've done and we know who you work for."
On antisemitism, Burgess noted it often comes from "diverse sources simultaneously, challenging traditional definitions, assumptions, and approaches." He said, "Sadly, and illogically, hatred of Jews is one thing virtually all the violent extremist cohorts have in common. Neo-Nazis are antisemitic. Islamic extremism is antisemitic. Issue-motivated extremists can be antisemitic, particularly when they subscribe to conspiracy theories and stereotypes about the Jewish community. Nation states can be antisemitic, as we saw with the arson attacks against the Jewish communities in Melbourne and Sydney perpetrated by criminals directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Anarchists and revolutionary groups can be antisemitic."
He highlighted that Australian companies with perceived links to Israel face "repeated acts of vandalism and arson by far-left activists." Burgess stressed that violent antisemitism is not a single intelligence problem, noting the firebombing of a synagogue "can simultaneously be criminal arson, foreign interference, the promotion of communal violence and politically motivated violence. And when Iran directs the arson, it's an act of state-sponsored terrorism."
Degrading Security Environment
Burgess reiterated that Australia's security environment is degrading, driven by "great power competition" fueling "an insatiable appetite for strategic advantage." He said espionage and foreign interference are at extreme levels, while preparation for sabotage is growing in scale and sophistication. Politically motivated violence, including terrorism, remains an acute concern.
He categorised threats as "threats to life" and "threats to our way of life," marked by "concurrent, cascading, and compounding threats." Burgess shared a case study of a person subjected to a decade-long intimidation campaign by a foreign regime, including detention of relatives overseas and travel bans. In one instance, a family member flew to the foreign country to negotiate but was interrogated for hours and told the individual could only return to Australia if they agreed to maintain phone contact and file reports on the target.
Burgess revealed that ASIO knows of five regimes targeting Australians with harassment, with one country particularly active. "In 2023 alone, that country coerced at least eight individuals to leave Australia for the place of their birth. Five were Australian citizens or permanent residents. Three never returned."
AUKUS and Cyber Threats
Burgess said Australia's defence capabilities, especially AUKUS, are priority targets for foreign intelligence services. He described a case where a spy approached an Australian security clearance holder online, paid him for reports on Australia's Pacific relationships, and then offered money for inside information on AUKUS. The clearance holder reported the contact.
On cyber threats, Burgess said nation-state hackers compromised the network of a critical Australian infrastructure provider, mapping it for potential sabotage. "Cyber sabotage is an evolving threat, and I have established dedicated teams to counter it." He noted that one nation state in particular leads this activity, with extensive warrant coverage revealing compromises across the region. Critical infrastructure in energy, communications, and military support are top targets.
Counter-Terrorism Resourcing
Burgess defended ASIO's counter-terrorism focus, stating that even when surging espionage demanded attention, countering terrorism remained a priority. He said ASIO increased counter-terrorism resourcing when the threat level was raised in 2024 and continued to grow before Bondi. "The number of ASIO officers working on our counter-terrorism mission in 2025 was almost double the number from 2005." However, he acknowledged that even a "vast army" of ASIO officers might not be enough to find an individual radicalised online using encrypted communications.
